How to up-cycle a sari

Up-cycling a sari to a skirt

Some time ago, a girlfriend of mine gave me a sari for my birthday. I wore it once at Diwali. However, one cannot recycle the outfit a second time. I once did and it was a big mistake. Everyone commented that they remembered me wearing the same sari last year.

Thus, the same girlfriend gave me the idea to up-cycle the sari into a skirt. She said she had up-cycled various old saris from her mom to dresses when she was a teenager. Since I learned sewing full skirts in middle-school, the idea of a new chic summer skirt and a new DIY project was born.

Thus, I asked my girlfriend whether she would mind if I would up-cycle the sari to a skirt. She was ok with it and mentioned that she used to sew dresses from her mom’s old saris when she was in high school.

How-to sew a dirndl-type skirt

I cut a twice my hip measure piece off the sari, and sew the piece together along the back. Then I stepped into the resulting tube left side out. In front of a full length mirror, I looked for a flattering tea-length. Then I made a mark with white chalk on the fabric at the smallest point of my waist. I measured the distance from this point to the hem and drew a line parallel to the hem. I drew a second line above at a distance of 3 inch (7.5 cm). I cut the fabric at the line. Then I bend the fabric over the first line and sew a tube at half an inch (~1.2 cm). However, I did not fully close it. The tube serves to hold a small rubber band. I sew a second tube below the first one. When sewing the third one, I folded the open edge into the tube. Then I cut three rubber bands in the length of my waist measure plus half an inch for overlap. I pulled the rubber bands thru the tubes using a safety pin and sew the overlap onto the other end of the rubber band.

Take outfit inspiration from nature

I created this outfit because my husband asked me to wear something that would look great in front of the pink blooming bush in our yard. Thus, I rioted my closet for pink items. A heather pink bag, blush shoes and a pink suede belt were the first pieces for the outfit. A new surprising discovery was that my self-sewn paisley print skirt has many colors that also occur in my oblong swirl scarf. I added the blue college tee because I prefer my outfits to have at least an area with high saturation. In general, I prefer dark, high saturated colors.

Welcome to the 115th Top of the World Style linkup party

Thanks to all of you who linked up in the past and make this party great and exciting with your inspiring outfit ideas. Welcome back! You are an awesome crowd!

When you are new, welcome. We are glad you are here. You can sign up the form below to join the VIPs who receive an email invitation each week for the Top of the World Style party.

I want to sign up for the Top of the World Style linkup email reminder. Email(required)

As a “Thank You” for linking up, I pin photos from this party’s posts to the Top of the World Style pinterest group board. When you want to pin all the photos of your posts to this group board, please follow my boards on pinterest (pinterest requirement to add you), and send me an email with the request to be added to the group board contributors. I will email you an invitation. All you have to do then is to click accept and start pinning your outfits.

By linking up you agree that I may feature you as Top of the World Style Winner, Top of the World OOTD Readers’ Fav or Top of the World OOTD My Fav and use a photo from your linked up post in the feature. Thank you. 🙂

Top of the World OOTDs

The Top of the World Style Winner is picked by a random generator from the party two weeks ago. The reasons are as follow: Each party runs a week minus 5 minutes. At the time of scheduling a new party, the old party is still in full swing and blogger still can join. To give all guests the same chance, the old party has to have closed before drawing the winner. In plain English, the Top of the World Style Winner visited the linkup party two weeks ago.

Tina the blogger at Tina’s Pink Friday became Top of the World Style Winner. Photo from her post

The winner of this week’s feature is Tina, the blogger at Tina’s Pink Friday who submitted her winning post at the 113th linkup party. Which one of the two gals is her? Can you figure it out? 😉

Debbie the blogger at Fashion Fairy Dust became Top of the World OOTD Readers’ Fav. Photo from her post

The post by Debbie at Fashion Fairy Dust became Top of the World OOTD Readers’ Fav as you clicked her post the most. This plaid slip dress is so unexpected. Who said that plaid is only for the cold season?

Cheryl Tucker the blogger at Northwest Mountain Living became Top of the World OOTD My Fav. Photo from her post

Cheryl Tucker the blogger at Northwest Mountain Living was my favorite. I love the simplicity of this casual look. It looks so effortlessly stylish. <3

Linkup up to four of your fashion/style posts by simply adding your link below

Please be a good sports and visit the posts of at least three of your linkup-fellows, introduce yourself to them to network and to make new friends. If you know them all already, I am sure they will still appreciate your stopping by and saying Hi. We all like traffic, don’t we?

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Welcome to High Latitude Style

Hi, I am Nicole Mölders, married, one cat, no kids, professor, author, fashion, and science enthusiast. I share how to turn fashion into style to look your best in midlife, and things about life at the Last Frontier. I am glad you are here.